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Date: 9/24/2020
We’ve had a summer reprieve – though COVID-19 has kept us all masked and socially distanced, the outdoors helped mitigate the potential spread of the virus when we played, dined or even gathered with our friend and family “bubbles.”
But fall has arrived, and with it, cooler temps that will have us all heading indoors for the next few months. That means days and weeks spent in an indoor air environment, something we know can potentially increase the spread of COVID-19, as well as seasonal colds and the flu.
How can we prepare for this change of conditions? Joe Roberts, an equipment specialist with Noonan Energy Corporation of Springfield for the past 21 years, said there are several steps homeowners can take to make sure they maintain the best possible indoor air quality this fall and winter.
Keep the air moving
“Most modern-day houses are constructed to be very airtight, they don’t allow for much air to come in and cool the home.” Roberts said. The same is true of older homes where homeowners have done window replacements and upped the insulation. Though the intent is to increase heating and cooling efficiency – thus saving energy – all this buttoning up isn’t necessarily good if you’re trying to combat any type of virus. The easiest way to alleviate this situation is to periodically open your house up a bit and let in some fresh air.
“Even during the colder months, keep a couple of windows cracked to let some fresh air in and change the air,” Roberts said adding just “opening the door for two minutes, that’s enough to get some good, fresh air into the house.” He suggested the cracked windows be left open “two or three inches” for optimum air flow. “It will also help with headaches and stuffiness” brought on by over-dry, overheated indoor air, he said.
Check the humidity levels
Roberts said keeping an eye on the humidity in your home is another important factor in maintaining optimum indoor air quality. “Setting the proper humidity will make breathing easier for people with asthma, allergies or other breathing issues,” Roberts said, noting that the optimum indoor humidity during the colder months is “between 30 and 35 percent.”
A small portable humidistat, available at local hardware and home improvement stores for “about $10” is an easy way to keep a check on things. “Put it on the kitchen counter or area of the home that is central and it will do a display of the home's humidity,” Roberts said.
If the humidity levels aren’t maintaining the optimum 30 to 35 percent, Roberts said it’s time to invest in a humidifier. There are several styles including portable ones that will do a single room, larger ones that can cover several rooms, and if you have forced hot air as your heating system, humidifiers that attach to the ducts and run every time the heat is called for.
Change the filters
If your heating system has filters – as do most forced hot air furnace units – Roberts said it is critical to change the filters on a regular basis to eliminate impurities and maintain optimum air quality.
“There are different levels of air filters that can be installed,” he said, noting the standard is a one-inch pleated style filter. “There are also ultraviolet air filters – also called UV filters – they do a better job removing small particulates from the air. And there are electronic air filters that do an even better job removing particulate and mold spore and things of that nature.”
In a home that has steam heat, Roberts said you can purchase portable air filtration units to help clean the air. These come in styles from large units on casters to small tabletop styles that will clean the air in a single room. However, Maggie Eboso, RN, MSN, MBA, CIC, Infection Prevention and Control coordinator for Mercy Medical Center stressed in a recent interview for a sister publication that these air filtration units are only effective if they are maintained. “They have filters that have to be changed. A purifier is only as good as the filter you have,” Eboso said.
Keep things clean
As we spend more time indoors, irritants such as dust, pet dander and dirt can build up and effect the quality of our indoor air. Though these may not necessarily pose a virus risk, they can make anyone stuffy, and allergy sufferers miserable.
“Make sure your house is clean,” Roberts stressed. “Vacuum regularly – stuff can build up in carpet and on surfaces so make sure everything is vacuumed and dusted, otherwise all of that is floating around in the air, too.”
Roberts said making certain you have properly installed and working carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of the house is also important to maintaining safety in the home as we move indoors for the winter. Though not directly tied to air quality, Roberts explained that because it is both odorless and colorless, “carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Those things save lives.”